Machine for feeding and driving nails



M. S. FINGH. MACHINE FOR FEEYDING AND DRIVING NAILS. APPLlcATloN HLEDJULY 11.1919.

1,401,767, Patented Deu. 27, 1921.

@SHEETS-SHEET I.

wn-S; FINCH.

MACHlNEvFOR FEEDING AND DRIVING NAILS. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11.191,9.

1,401,767- 77 Patented Deu. 27, 1921.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

aigu; Eli-IFJ LN A TTOHNEY M. ysv.' FINCH. MACHINE FOR FEEDING ANDDRIVING NAILS.-

APPLICATION FILED JULY Il, I9I9.- Y

' Patented Dec. 27,1921.

e SHEETS-SHEET a.

l/V VEN TUR MIX/765s: I l By I I A TTUHNEI/ M. s. FINCH.. MACHINE FORFEEDING AND DRIVING NAILS.

APPLICATION FILED IULYII', 1919.

1,401,767, 'Patented De. 27, 192k.`

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Mil/less:

1 Nl. SL FINCH.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND DHVING NAILS. APPLICATION r1LED1uLY11,1919.

1,401,767, Patented 1160.27, 1921.

6 SHEETS--SHEET 5.

INVENTOI? l A TTUHNEI" IVI. S. FINCH.

' MACHINE FOR FEEDING AND DRIVING NAILS. APPLICATION FILED IuI .Y.II.I9I9.

1,40 1,767. Patented Dee. 27, 19721.

' machinery, and

the nail feeding mechanism innrsn stares rarsnr'nr MAURICE S. FENCE, OTl ST. JOSEPE, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR' TO SPECIALTY 'SHOE- IVIACHNERYCOMPANY, 'Ol ST., JOSEH, /ISSOR1`,`A'CORPRATION 0F )NHS- SORI.

To .all whom t may concern.'

Ee it known that l, llVlmjnicn SMITH FiNor-I, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinesfor F eeding` and Drivingl Nails, 'of which the following is a completespecification.

The present invention relates to nailing provide an improved typeofmachine adapted for use in the driving of nails into the soles orheels of boots and shoes.

In general, the invention comprises a machine having nail drivingmechanism and a suitable work support vfor positioning' the boot or shoein proper relation to said driving mechanism, together with a hopperreceptacle for retaining a suoply of the nails, and automatic means forfeeding the nails as fast as required to the driving mechanism.

YOne of the features of the improvements comprises a novel feedinglmechanism operated from a reciprocating nail driving mechanism and soconstructed and arranged as to obtain a substantially continuous feedingaction derived from both the reciprocatory movements of said drivingmechanism, lmprovements are also provided in the specific character ofthe nail feeding mechanism whereby a novel and eiiicient mode offeeding` operation is effected, characterized by improved means forassembling the nails in the raceway, novel means for preventing anyoverloading of the raceway, and also an improvedr construction forpresenting and retaining the nails in their prope position forthedriving operation. Frovision is also made for preventing injury tothe lparts of whenever the latter becomes cio-freed, by introducingi-asafety featureperi L`ng the continued operation of the nail A lyingmechanism while allowing interruption of thenail feeding.

drive whenever the action ofthe ch t noted. l

, h these general objects in view, as well latter is minor objects whichwill appear in the course of the detaile@r specification, the inren' onwiil now be described with reference to the accompanying Vdraivingsillustretinga construction embodying the iniprovements and designedparticular. y

Specification of Eetters Patent.

hasfor its general object tol plained africains non rnnnnve annnnvine1\ratr,s.`

n patented Dec. 27,1921. 1919. serial No. 310,270.

with a vportion thereof broken away;

Fig. 3 is an enlargedl side elevation of the headY of the machine;y v

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same; F ig. 5'is a plan view'jof'the nailhopper, looking 'at the same in line with itsv axis and with a away;

i Fig. 6 Ais rear view of thehead ofthe i i machine;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional'view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;Fig. 8 is a detail view showing parts of the drive to thenail feedingmechanism;

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the line 9'-9 ofFig-6; Y 1 Figs. 10, 11 and12 are enlarged detail views of a portion of the nail raceway, Fig. 12showing an altered position of the parts to illustrate the Vaction ofthen-lovable, section lof said raeeway for interrupting the feed fromthe hopper', ashereinafter eX- Fig. 13 is a vertical line13-13 of Fig.4; v F igs., 14 and 15 are on the lines 14-14and of Fig. 13.

Referringnow to the drawings yin detail, these illustrate the improvedconstruction' in connection with the usual form of support' ing columnor. over-hanging bearing guideQO in 'aline-ment witha bearing 22 at the"top of theV casting- 16, and a third bearingv 24' arranged inside saidcolnmnor casting 16, these three bearings'bein:0V Vfor vthe purposev ofaccommodating a Vsection taken on the and detail sections taken 15-15,respectively,

vertically reciprocating bar 26 by which the nailfeeding and drivingoperations are efafter which the novel features toy portion ofthe rotarydisk broken Y casting 16 carryino'A a fixed bracket 18 provide ywith alooV fected.,ashereinafterdescribed. The lower end `of the bar Qfisconnectedby a rod 28 to afoot treadle 30 mounted inthe baseof the column16l (Fig. 1f)l and'held normally elevated byrneans of a lstrong coilspring 32 bar 2S is pr vided wit). a

which is suspended from retaining element 34 in the upper part of saidcolumn. The upward movement of the bar 26 is limited by the bearing 24,for w iich purpose the bar is provided with a collar 36 beneath saidbearing, a leather butler 38 being inserted between said collar andbearino'.

Associated with tle upper end of the bar 26 is a member 40 which isprovided with bearms` portions 4l and 42 slidably engaging said barintermediate the bearings 2O and and also n. th a bearing 'lug 423engaging an uprig i at the top of the column le (see l and 3), therebyconfining the movement ci said head' inember to a vertical reciprocatingmotion. The collar 46 adapted, on bars being lifted by the action ot thespringl B2, to engage the bearing 4l of the head member 4() and litt thelatter into raised position ed the top oit the column 16, as shown inFigs. l and 3, whereas loweringot the treadlc 30 allows the head memberto come to rest by gravity upon the top of said column.

The parts comprising the nail feeding nechanism will now be described.A. nail Vreceiving hopper is termed by a cylindrical shell 48 litting'rictionally offer the upper and outer margin of a hopper bottom casting50 provided with a lug 5l which is attached by bolts 52 to an angularprojection 53 at the top of the head member 40, the arrangement such asvto support the hopper in outwardly inclined relation at the top ot themachine, in which position the nails tend by gravity to occupy the lowerside of the hopper and arefted by the action of the feeding means to theraceway which communicates with the upper side of the hopper. Mountedwithin the hopper upon the upper tace oi the bottom castinr 50 is arotary nail 'feeding disk 54 provided with a series of upwardlyextending nail engagin@ pins 55, the outer portion of the dislrs s tacebeing also broken by a series or' perorations 55 for engagement with thenails. (See Figs. 4 and 5.) rEhe disk 54 is also formed` with a seriesot peripheral notches 57 slightlysmaller than the heads roit the nails58 extending inward at an angle to the dislrs radius, or backward withre erence to the direction of rotation of said The rear sides ot thenotches 57 (with reference to the direction olf; travel) are elevatedslightly above their forward sides (Fig. 3) and HCL thon.

A slightly around the inner ends o the notches (see ll) passage into thenotches ro'r the nails 58 which are design d to oe trapped oy saidnotches. The disk 54 rotates with its notched periphery riding over anannular channel 59 in whicn shanlrs of the nails are suswasn their neckportions are engaged the dish is also cupped outV for providing an easyglidirngV innige? within the notches, as illustrated in Fin'. 7. Theshell 48 carries a radially projecting battle plate 60 overlyingtheupward path ot the nails as they approach the mouth ot the raceway,this plate being provided with a restricted opening 6l allowing passageo the nails only at the outer margin of the hopper in line with thechannel 59. i pair of tlexible. wire lingers 62 are vpositioned partlyacross the opening 6l to assist in spreading the nails as well as aidingin engaging them with the notched portions of the disk. lt will also benoted that the outer portion ot the hopper bottom casting 50 has asloping margin as indicated in Fig. 7, which operates to deflect thenails into engaging relation with the disk notches, and along the upperportion of this sloping margin the same is fitted with a tapered rib 63Y at the inal approach to the raceway (see Fig. 5), this rib acting inconjunction with said sloping margin to litt the nails and switch themover on to the dislzs periphery and aording them a final opportunity tobecome seated in the notches 57 and channel 59.

r)The disk 54 is suitably secured to the upper end of a short shalft 64which is journaled in the hub portion 65 o' the hopper bottom casting 50(Fig 7 rlhe lower portion of this shaft 64 hassecured thereto a ratchetwheel ('36 on the opposite sides of which a pair of split collars 67 areloosely mounted,

and each of the collars 67 carries a pawlGS the teeth of the ratchetwheel 66; each collar 67 also carries a bevel gear segment 70, the twosegments 70 being in mesh with opposite sides of a bevel pinion 7lvjournaled on the end ot a post 72 depending from the casting 50; rJlhelower split collar 67 is secured fast to the hub portion or a third gearsegnient 7 3 which in turn is loosely journaled on the lower end oit theshaft 64 and retained thereon by a collar 74. rlhe gear segment 7 3meshes with a gear segment 75 loosely mounted between a pair oiIfriction washers 76 on a stub shalt 77 carried by the head member 40.One oli' the friction washers 76 is in engagement with the bearingportion of a rocher 78 carried by the inner end of the stub shaft 77,while the other washer 7 6 is embraced by a clamping vasher 39, theclamping torce being applied by a nut 7 9 screwed on to the outer end otsaid shaft '77, after which the Wasner 39 may be lined by a set screw39". pin SO engages a slot 8l in the segment 75 for posiT tioning andlimiting the movements of the latter. The rocker arm 78 is provided withone or more slots 82 (see Fig. 3) for engaging a pin 83 carried by anarm 84k secured to the collar 46 on the bar 26, said arm beingadjustably secured to said nut by means of a screw 85 land a pin 86tting in openings 87 of said nut. By means of this construction it isapparent that the throw of the arm 78 may be adjusted to Vary thefeeding action which is eifected by the rotation of the disk 54 by meansof the described connections, and that this rotation is madesubstantially continuous for both therup and down movements of the bar26, since the gear segments operate alternately through the pawls 68 toadvance the ratchet wheel 66 for each stroke of said bar 26. Y

That portion of the nail feeding mechanism which acts to transfer thenails from the hopper to the raceway Ileading to the driver will now bedescribed, reference being had more particularly to Figs. 10 to 12. Atthe upper side of the hopper and at a point in the path of the nailsjust after they have begun their ldownward disk 54, an opening 88 isprovided in the side margin oi" the hopper bottom casting 50 for themouth of the raceway, in which opening elements are arranged to form aswitch passageV for deilecting thev nails from thehopper disk 54 intothe raceway, one of these elements being the enlarged end of the rib 63and the other of said elements being a switch' finger 89. This switchfinger 89 is carried by a tilting section 90 of the raceway which ispivoted at 91 to a lug 92 (see F ig. 1) depending from' the base of thehopper. The switch finger 89 operates alongside a iirred iinger 93projecting inside the hopper4 in overhanging relation to the edge of thedisk 54, said finger 98 assisting in shielding the opening into theraceway and also serving as a reinforcing bearing for the free endA ofthe finger `89. Extending along t-he channel 59 underneath the rib 63 isa slender spring 94 which engages the ShanksV of the nails 58 andoperates to retain the same snugly seated in the notches 57 as theyapproach the switch passage. The tilting raceway section is incasedbetween two housing sections 95 secured to lugs 96 formed on the hopperbase at opposite sides of the raceway, and one oi the sections 95carries a 'leaf spring 97 overlying the tilting section 90 andprojecting through the opening .88 for the 'purpose of steadying anddirecting the movementsl of the nails as they are switched into theraceway, and'also retaining the same in position on the tilting section90. Normally the tilting section 90 is held in elevated positionopposite the opening 88 by means oi an arm 98 carrying' a counterweight99, as shown in Fig. 10, and is latched in this position by means of alatch element 100 pivoted at 101 to the housing sections 95 and providedwith'a notch 102 engaging a pin 103 carried by said tilting section 90.In the switching operation, the nails are deflected from the notches 57by the means above described on to the tilting section 9,0,v the Shanksof the nails passing movement with theV through narrow passage 104 (seeFigs. 5A j pressed against a finger 105 which is carried by thelatch100. The pressure upon lthe linger 105 swings the latch100,resulting in disengagement ofits notch 102 from thepin 103, and asthe load of nails carried by the tilting section is suiiicient tooverhalance the counterweighted arm 98, said section 90 tips into theinclined position illustrated in F ig. 12, in which position thenailsare discharged from the section 90 into the fiXed raceway section 106e., fixed as regards any angular movement) which is supported ininclined position by a block 107, attached to the head member 40. Inyits tilted vposition the racewayy section 90 is' again latched byVengagement of its pin with a` second notch 108 on the lower end of thelatch 100. 2l/'hilt the tilting section isthus latched in tiltedposition, the switch iinger 89 is retracted from the hopper, asillustrated in Figj12,

and the discharge of the nails from thel hopper ceases until the tiltingsection returns to raised'position and said .switch finger' is againprojected into operative position within the hopper. l r v It isdesirable to prevent overloading of the raceway', and the tiltingsection 90 is provided for this purpose, the 'same act-ingintermittently to replenish the supply in the fixed raceway section, andremaining in tipped position until its load has been completelydischarged. The latch element V100, acting as a gravity latclnis readilydisengaged by the vibration of the machine, and consequently meansisprovided for positively locking said Vlatchuntil the. tilting sectionhas completely discharged its load, Ythisl means comprising a downwardextension 109 from the linger 105, which extension 109 is presented at alevel with theheads of the nails in the fixed raceway section 106 duringthe ,latching engagement of the pin 103 with the notch 108, and preventsydisengagement of said pin and notch untilall the nails have passedbelow the end ofsaid extension 109, since the latch can not swingvwithout depressing said extension' into the raceway. As' soon as: theupper yend of the fixed raceway 106 is clear, however.,y said latchbecomes disengaged by the ar of the machine, and ythe tilting section 90is returned to original position bythe action otite counterweighted arm98. y ,l .n

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 8, 4,. 18k and 14, the yXedkportion 106 Aof the nail raceway is lshown as terminating thenpper faceof the block 107 which is provided with a slide passage 11() into whichthe nails are one by one discharged in iront ot slide bloclr 112 ormingpart ot a nail separating mechanism which operates toV transier thenails from the raceway to a chute passage 113 (formed in an attachment131 to the blocli 107) through which the nails gravitate to the naildriving means. rihe block 112 is reciprocated by means of an oscillatingsegment 114, provided with a nail receiving notch 1111 and connected bya pin 115 with said block, said pin engaging in a slot 116 'formed inthe top of the block.. rlllhe nails travel along the passage 110 withtheir heads supported by the notched portion ot the segment 11e andtheir shanlis depending` into the passage 110, a curved guard element111 being mounted around the top margins oi said passage. rfheseginent11e is secured to the lower en oi" a roel-z shaft 117 supported in astep bearino; in the blo-cl; 107, the upper end ot said ait kbeing`retained by an angle bracket 8 secured to said block 107.v lhe shait 7is roclred by means oi a irictional drive connection which comprises a.disk 119 loosely applied to the reduced upper end port' nY of said shaftand embraced by a pair oit Vfriction washers 120 which are clamped by1Keyed metal washers 121 and a clamp nut 122 to the opposite iaces oisaid disk. The d' l 119 is provided with a pin 123 carryroller 1211operating in an inclined iid/away 126 which is attached to the ver 127carried by the vertically the bar 25 the c. Y reciprocating bar 26.r1`hus as is reciprocated in the driving operation7 'Moment 114eoscillated by the rocking of the shaft 117 thereby reciprocating thebloclr 112 to intermittently transfer the nails from he raceway to thechute passage 113.

The nail driving means comprises a nail driver 128 adjustably mounted inthe arm 127 and clamped thereto by a nut 129, the lower end of said rod128 being suitably recessed to contorni to the shape oi the nail heads.The rod 128 has a plunger movement through a passage 130 in thehorizontal arm of the head member 40, beneath which passage is providedan expansible nail receiving throat .termed in two sections 132 pivotedat 133 within a recess 1341 in the head member. rlhe sections 132 1reiiorined with mating channels coperatr to provide a throat passage185for receri/ing the nails and the driver rod 128, said passage 135communicating through an opening` 136 in said sections (see Fig. 13)with the chi-te passage 113. rlfhe sections ,l held normally together bysprings nel', so that the passage 135 is thereby contracted to the sizeof the nail heads and driver. The lower end ot said passage 135 istapered so as to retain the nail until the descent oi the driver forcesit out, thereby isomer simultaneously spreading the sections 132 in anobvious manner.

rEhe worlr into which the nails are to be driven is designed to becarried by a horn 1li() of the usual type attached to the top ot aspindle 1411 which is slidingly mounted in a post 142 at the front or"the column 16. rEhis work support is oi an adjustable character, thelower end or' the spindle ing connected by a pivotal linlz 1&3 with aico-t lever '1-/14 ulcrumed at 1115 at one side or" the column'i7 andbeing provided at the other side of the column 16 with a pawl projection116 engaging a ratchet plate 1117. Lateral swingino` motion is affordedthe lever 1deon its rulcrurn 115 for disengaging the pawl '146 andadjusting it into dit- ;cerent positions thereby varying said pawl beingnient with the plate 147 by 148., ating between a shoulder 150 providedony the interior ci the post 1412 and a pin 151 the elevation ot thehorn, held normally in engagethe action of a on the spindle 1e1, tendsto urge the latter d in downward direction in opposition to the actionci the lever 114.

For positioning the edge ci the work" with relation to the line of thenail driving operation, l provide an angular gage element y152 extendingon a level with the space just below the mouth of the throat passage1535, which gage element 152 is carried by ay i-aclr bar 153 providedwith a keyway 154 a horizontal liey 155 on one side :tace ci' thehorizontal arm ot the head meni- 07 said bar being retained in slidingennent with said lrey by a pair oi bracket j s 156. Between thesebracket plates 15G.. projecting trom the same 'face or" th` ifneinber9is a pin 158 for journalits element 152 may be readily shifted to anydesired position within the limits oi the rack bars movements.

it, 161 is also provided for suitably g the spacing distance between thes as they are driven7 this gage being piv otaly supported iroin abracket plate 162 attached to the horizontal arm of the head rieniber 10on the side opposite thereoi1 from the raceway., or on that the wort;ted during the driving operation. 'flie lower end or'.' this gage 161 ison a level with the mouth of the throat passage 135, and adapted to reston KVthe tace cit the work and abut against the edges ci the nails afterthey are driven.v This gage is adjusted by means oi'i a screw163ezitendthropgn the geandcarrying a nut 16d by which` tne gage isforced up against a spring which is coiled around the screw between thegage and the head member 110.

along the plate 1117 andy A strong coil spring 1419, open.

side toward whichy The 'operation of the machine will be readilyunderstood from theY foregoing description, but the same may be brieflysummarized as follows. `T he purpose of the machine, as illustrated, isespecially'designed for use in the driving of nails of the type shown,having a large head, into the soles or heels of boots or shoes of anytype or material, such as leather or wood, or a combination of suchmaterials. A quantity of the hob nails 58 are placed in the hopper, andthe horn 140 is adjusted to the proper height according to the thicknessof the stock, by means of the lever 144. The edge of the work is restedagainst the face of the gage 152, and this gage is adjusted according tothe distance which it is desired to space the line of nails from theedge of the work. The treadle 30 is now depressed a sufficient number oftimes to obtain a supply of the nails in the raceway. The operation ofthis leverV acts through the described connections to the hopper disk 54to rotate said disk, and this rotationis substantially continuous, sincethe gear and ratchet elements are operated by both the Vup and downmovements of the vertically reciprocating bar 26. One particularadvantage of this feature of the construction is that a slower feedingmovement of the nails within the hopper is rendered possible by thepracticallycontinuous driving action, and hence there is less likelihoodof the nails clogging and obstructing the feeding mechanism. Therotation of the disk feeds the nails from the hopper into the tiltingraceway section 90, which remainslatched until said section is filled,and then automatically trips to discharge the nails into the fixedraceway section 106. Nails are now transferred from the'lower end of theraceway by the action of the nail separating means above described, theloscillating segment 114 moving thenails one-by one to the upper end ofthe chute passage 113, through which they drop into the lsectionalthroat 135 between each stroke of the driver 128. In the throat 135 thenail is held in position for the drivers action with the point of thenail almost in contact with the work at the moment; the drivers actionbegins. The driving operation -is carried out by lowering of the treadley 30, the initial movement of which lowers the head member 40, bringingthe tip of the sectional throat'l against the stock, whereupon thecontinued movement of the lever or treadle depresses the driver 128 anddrives the nail, the throat sections 132 spreading apart to permit thedischarge ofthe nail. `After the first nail hasbeen driven, the work ismoved to bring said nail up against the gage 161, which is adjustedaccording to the distance it isdesiredto space the nails apart,

the worlr being then held with said driven nail againstthe gage 161during the driving Y v I i i y dunne mehenlsmi lierre? .'PlQVlf of thenextl nail.

. ply of the nails, for which purpose the switch element 89 is againprojected into operative position fordeflecting the nails from thehopper into the mouth of the racewa-y. T his interruption in the flow ofthe nails into the raceway prevents overloading of the raceway andresults'in vbetter and more even move,u

ment of the nails by preventing them from crowding each vother orgetting out of line and clogging in the raceway.

It is thus apparent that apractical and efficient construction has beenprovided for embodying the proposed improvements.,` An improved andsubstantially continuous nail feeding action is effected by themeansshown, and this is accompanied by complete safety inthe drivetransmission, since the friction drive to the hopper` disk 54 permitsthe continued operation ofthev reciprocating bar l26 without damage tothe hopper feed in case said disk should become clogged by the nails atany point. The same safety provision takes care of any clogging of thenails at the point where they are transferred from the raceway to thenail driving mechanism, due to the frictional drive provided fortheroclrer shaft 117. 4

While l have illustrated and described what is now deemed to consti-tutethe prel' ferred forni of embodiment of the invention, l vdesire toreserve the'right to malre all such formal lchanges or modifications asmay fairly claims. V

Having. described'the invention, what I claim is: .Q y V .n

1. A nailing machine comprisinga nail fall within the scope of theappended driving pmechanism, a hopper provided.

therein with a rotary nail feeding disk, and' means for .intermittentlyrotating said disk l including a ratchet wheel alternately actuated by apair of interconnected and oppositely moving gear segments, one of saidgear segments being oscillated from said nail driving mechanism.

2. A nailing machine comprising a nail driving mechanism, a hoppervprovided therein -with a rotary nailfeeding disk,` a ratchetwheel'operative to rotate said disk, a pair of spacedgearsegmentsadapted to alternately actuate said ratchet wheel andk provided withagear pinion connecting said v segments for movement in oppositedirections, and means for oscillating one of said gear segments fromsaid nail driving mecha- .'nism.

3. A nailing machine comprising a nail.

therein with a rotary nail feeding dish having a shaft provided with aratchet Wheel secured thereto, a pair or" spaced gea-r segments providedwith pawls tor alternately actuating` said ratchet Wheel, a gear pinionconnecting; said segments for movement in opposite directions, and meansfor oscillating one of said gear segments 'from said nail drivingmechanism.

4. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a'nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, and a nail raceway connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and including a movable raceway section maintainednormally in position for receiving nails from the hopper and out oicommunicating relation with the remainder oi the raceway, said movableracevvay section being constructed and arranged to assemble a plur lityof nails from the hopper and be moved by the Weight of:l such pluralityoit' nails into communicating relation to t ie remainder of the racervayfor discharging said assembled nails thereinto.

5. ifi nailing1 machine comprising, in combination, nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, and a nail raceway connecting); said hopperand driving mechanism and including a tilting' racevvay sectionconstructed and arranged to receive nails Jrom the hopper and be tiltedby the Weight ot a plurality ot nails into position to deliver them intothe remainder of the racervay.

6. A mailing' machine comprising, in combination, a nail driving`mechanism, a nail hopper, a nail raceivay connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and including a tiltinc; ,raceivay sectioncommunicatingdirectif,7 with the hopper, means ior'feeding the nails'from the hopper into said tilting;- section. said tilting sectiontipping,` automatically after receiving a given number oit nails todischarge the same into the remainder ofthe racevvay and also operating`to interrupt the discharge oic the nails by said 'feeding means Vfromthe hopper.

7. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, a nail racevvay connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and includina tilting raceivay sectioncommunieatingdirectly with the hopper, and means for Jfeeding; the nailsfrom the hopper into said tilting section including a svvitchl elementfor detlecting,` `the nails into t le mouth of the racevvay, saidtilting section tipping automatically after receiving,` a given numberof nails to discharge the same into the remainder of the raceway andoperating` simultaneously to retract said switch element out ofoperative position. y

8. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, a nail racevvay connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and including including,- a

incirca a tilting racevvay section communicating directly with thehopper, and means for i'eeding the nails from the hopper into saidtilting section, said tilting section tipping automatically atterreceivinga given number ot nails to discharge the same into theremainder ot the racen/ay, said feeding means switch element actuatedinto and out of operative positions by the movements ot said tiltingsection.

9. A nailing` machine comprising, in combina-tion, nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, a nail raceivay connecting said hopperdrivingv mechanism and including a tilting,` raceivay sectionconstructed and arranged to receive nails from the hopper and he tiltedby the weight oi' a plurality of into position to deliver them into theremainder of the raceivay, and means operating automatically to latchsaid tilting sectionin its raised position.

il) A nailingmachine comprising, in combination, a nail driving`mechanism, a nail hopper, a nail raceivay connecting said hopper anddriving` mechanism and including a tilting' section constructed andarranged to receive nails from the hopper and be tilted by the Weightoi"- a plurality ot nails into position to deliver them into theremainder of the racevay, and means acting to latch said tiltingvsection in its raised position and op- ,rsti ci to automa-ically releasesaid section a given number of nails has been assembled thereon.

ll.. A iutilinp,` machine comprising, in combination, nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, nail raceivay connecting` said hopper andlrivinp; mechanism and includino a tilting racevvay section constructedand arranged to receive nails-trom the hopper and be tilt-ed hy theWeight of a plurality oi nails into position to deliver lthem into theremainder of the raceway, and latch means operating automatically toenand latch said tiltingsection in its lowered position.

1Q. A nailing machine comprising, in

combination, a nail driving mechanism, aV

nail hoppen-a nail raceway connectino, said hopper and driving mechanismand includtilting racevvay section constructed and to receive nails tromthe hopper and be tilted hi the weight of a pluralitL oi nails intoposition to deliver them into the remainder oli the racen/ay, an meansoperating automatically to latch said tilting section in its loweredposition andy thereafter to release said section after all the nailshave passedl a' given point in the raceivay.

1.3. A nailing combination, a nail driving mechanism, nail hopper, nailraceway connecting said hopper and drivingr mechanism and including atilting racevvay section constructed and machine comprising, in

1,Zio1,767 i I 'z arranged to receive nails from the hopper and betilted by the Weight of a plurality of nails into position to delivertheminto the remainder et the raceway, and means operating toautomatically latch said tilting section at eithcrlimit of its movement.

la. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper, a nail raceway connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and including a tilting raceivay section constructedand arranged to receive nails from the hopper and be tilted by theWeight of a plurality of nails into position to deliver them inte theremainder of the raceway, a latch element acting to latch said tilingsection in its raised position, and means operated by engagement withthe nails for tripping said latch element and releasing said section. Y

l5. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a nail driving`mechanism, a nail hopper, a nail raceivay connecting said hopper anddriving mechanism and including a tilting racen/'ay section constructedand arranged to receive nails from the hopper and be tilted by theweightof a plurality of nails into position to deliver them into the remainderof the raceway, a latch element acting to latch said tilting sectionl inits discharging position, and means operated by engagement with thenails for maintaining` said latch element operative until after all thenails have passed a given point in the raceWay.

16. A nailing' machine comprising, in combination, a nail drivingmechanism, a

nail hopper, anda nail racevvay connecting said hopper and drivingmechanism and including an oscillating racevvay section constructed andarranged to receive nails from the hopper and be tilted by the Weight ofla plurality of nails intov position to deliver them into the remainderof the racevvay, said oscillating section being provided with a guardextension forming a closure for the passage into the remainder of theraceWay during the movement of said oscillating section. c

l?. A nailing machine comprising, in combination, a nail drivingmechanism, a nail hopper provided With a nail raceway to the driving`mechanism, and an oscillating element provided with a frictional driveactuated from said nail driving mechanism to'transfer the nails singlyfrom said race- Way to the driving` mechanism.

18. A nailing machine comprising nail driving mechanism, a nail hopper,a nail raceivay connect-ing said hopper and driving mechanism, the outermargin of the hopper bottom being formed with a channel foraccommodating the Shanks of the nails, a, rotary disk resting on thehopper betteln with the edge of said disk overlaying said channel andformed with notches for supporting` engagement with the heads of thenails as they traverse the channel, and means for switching the nailsfrom said channel intosaid raceway. f

ln Witness vvhereoi l hereto atiiX my signature.

MAURICE S. FINCH,

